1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a child safety belt sleeve for use with a combined automobile lap belt and shoulder strap assembly to provide a frontal barrier for restraining and protecting a seated child who has become too large for a portable safety restraint seat, yet is still too small to effectively use an automobile safety belt assembly which has been primarily designed for adult use.
2. Description of Prior Art
Various types of child restraint devices which restrain children in a seated position in automobiles are known in the prior art. These devices are primarily designed to protect the child during emergency situations. Existing devices may embody cushioned or padded seats which include lap and shoulder harnesses which are designed to confine the child to the seat when the automobile is involved in an accidental collision or when the automobile is forced to come to an emergency stop. Some devices are employed in the place of portable car seats and are adapted to overlie the waist area of the seated child. The existing automobile safety belt assembly is typically used in cooperation with most child restraint devices which hold the child securely in the seat in the event of an accident.
Most child restraint devices are generally bulky, therefore, occupy a great deal of space when either in use or in storage. Bulky child restraint devices may also be more costly to manufacture as well because of the type of material or the amount of material used in the fabrication process. In addition, the complexity of some of these devices may invite them to be difficult and time consuming to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,732 issued Mar. 5, 1985 to Glen Williams discloses and child car restraint device used in conjunction with an existing automobile safety belt. The device has a lower shell area adapted to cover the lap of the seated child and an upper shell area adapted to cover the torso of the seated child.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,463 issued Sep. 9, 1986 to Harriet Efrom describes a protection assembly in the form of a domelike shield used to protect the abdominal area of a pregnant woman when seated in an automobile. The device absorbs impact forces and transfers these impact forces to the supporting seat, thus reducing the amount of force absorbed by the abdominal area.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,474 issued Feb. 17, 1987 to Robert D. Wise discloses a car booster seat and restraint system for children which is installed in cooperation with an existing automobile safety belt assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,229 issued Jun. 7, 1988 to Andrew J. Dorto describes a child restraint seat which is designed for use with an existing conventional automobile seat and its respective safety restraint assembly.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.